Rice University campus

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Rice Salaries

  • 10/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 5.0 2 reviews
#9 Best Colleges in America
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Salaries by Major

Salaries by Major at Rice University

This page shows median first-year earnings for Rice graduates by major, based on federal College Scorecard data. Six years after enrolling, former students who are working and no longer in school report average earnings of $64,400 per year; after ten years, average earnings are $86,400. See post-graduation earnings for full trends over time.

Below, majors are ranked by median first-year earnings.

The highest-paying undergraduate degree is Computer and Information Sciences, with median first-year earnings of $111,900 , followed by Chemical Engineering at $80,100 , and Economics at $73,100 .

Among graduate and professional degree programs, the highest-paying program is Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree), with median first-year earnings of $123,200 , followed by Music (Master's Degree) at $25,900 .

First-year earnings data come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and reflect IRS-reported income for Rice University graduates who received federal grants or loans. Some programs are omitted for privacy.

Median first-year earnings for Rice University graduates ranked by degree type and major
Major Earnings
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) $123,200
Computer and Information Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) $111,900
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) $80,100
Economics (Bachelor’s Degree) $73,100
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) $70,500
History (Bachelor’s Degree) $47,700
English Language and Literature (Bachelor’s Degree) $39,500
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor’s Degree) $37,300
Psychology (Bachelor’s Degree) $34,800
Sociology (Bachelor’s Degree) $29,500
Music (Master's Degree) $25,900

Other Colleges to Consider

Students considering Rice University often consider these colleges

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=227757.

First-year earnings by major: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Last updated: August 2026